'Turbanator' Harbhajan Singh: Controversy's Favourite Child?

His name has been attached to several controversies, from the Monkeygate Scandal to the Sreesanth-slapping incident.

Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, 24 December.

 (Photo Courtesy: BCCI)

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, 24 December. The fourth highest wicket-taker for India in Tests, he was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squads. Singh took 417 wickets in 103 Test matches, 269 wickets in 236 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 25 wickets in 28 T20Is and won several matches for India.

However, in his 23-year-long career, he was also in the news for wrong reasons. His name was attached to several controversies, such as the 2007 Monkeygate Scandal and the Sreesanth-slapping incident. The Quint takes a look at some of them.

2007-08: Monkeygate Scandal

Former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds said in the past that the ‘monkeygate’ incident triggered his downfall in international cricket.

The Monkeygate scandal, one of the ugliest controversies ever to take place in cricket, happened during the New Year's Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh shared a 129-run partnership for the eighth wicket and wore the Australians down. Soon, Singh, who had scored his third Test fifty, could be seen in a verbal spat with Andrew Symonds.

On the final day of the match, Australia captain Ricky Ponting complained to umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson that Singh had racially insulted Symonds by calling him a "monkey."

While India lost the match by 122 runs, the real battle took place off the field, in the courtroom. The Australians pressed charges, and the International Cricket Council summoned New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen to preside over matters.

Meanwhile, Singh was banned for three Test matches by match referee Mike Procter, who had heard testimonies from Michael Hayden, Symonds, Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, as well as from Tendulkar and Harbhajan.

The Indian team protested and threatened to pull out of the tour, which then saw intervention from the Internal Cricket Council (ICC).

However, the ban was later lifted as Judge Hansen decided that the evidence was inconclusive, and the charges were downgraded to using abusive language.

2008: Sreesanth Slapgate Incident

Sreesanth appeals for a wicket during the first Test against South Africa.

In the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Harbhajan Singh grabbed headlines all over the world for slapping pacer S Sreesanth.

After Mumbai Indians, the Harbhajan's then team lost to Sreesanth's Kings XI Punjab, the off-spinner slapped Sreesanth on the field, which created a major controversy. TV cameras caught Sreesanth crying on the field before the presentation ceremony, with his teammates and coach calling Harbhajan's behaviour unacceptable.

Harbhajan was later handed an 11-game ban, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also banning him for five ODIs after conducting a separate inquiry.

Harbhajan later apologised for the incident, saying, "Whatever happened with Sreesanth.. him and me on the field... a lot of people talk about that incident now. If I have to go back and rectify something in my life, I will correct that. I shouldn't have done that."

1998: Fight With Ricky Ponting

In his debut One Day International series in 1998 in Sharjah, after being hammered for quite a few runs by Australia's Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh got his revenge when he got Ponting stumped for 31.

In his debut ODI series in 1998 in Sharjah, after being hammered for quite a few runs by Australia's Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh got his revenge when he got Ponting stumped for 31.

The pumped-up 17-year-old spinner, in an aggressive gesture, marched down the wicket towards Ponting, shouted in his face and then showed him the way back to the pavilion.

Needless to say, the gesture was not appreciated by the latter, who shoulder-barged and exchanged a few words with the lanky spinner on his way back. As a result, Harbhajan was fined and given a suspended ban for one ODI by the match referee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

2005: Speaks Against Then-Coach Greg Chappell

Former India Coach Greg Chappell.

The ugly spat between the then India captain Sourav Ganguly and coach Greg Chappell had put Indian cricket in the news for all the wrong reasons. And Harbhajan Singh, a Ganguly supporter and loyalist, openly spoke against Chappell and defended Ganguly.

The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) later summoned Singh for speaking to the media against Chappell. However, he escaped any major disciplinary action for his comments after he tendered an apology to the PCA administrative committee.

2006: Appears in Royal Stag Ad Sans Turban

Harbhajan Singh appeared in an ad for Royal Stag, an alcohol brand, without his turban, which offended the Sikh clergy and its representative body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

The SGPC demanded an apology from Harbhajan and demanded that Seagram's, the parent body of Royal Stag, withdraw the ad. Singh later apologised for his actions but also said the clergy should have spoken to him first.

2021: Posts a Picture of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on Operation Bluestar Anniversary

Harbhajan Singh was trolled for a post on Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

In June 2021, Harbhajan Singh posted a picture of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on his social media account to pay homage to those who died in 'Operation Bluestar' of 1984.

His action led to a controversy, and he faced backlash from all quarters. Later, he said he posted a WhatsApp forward on the 37th anniversary of the operation but had no idea that the man in the picture was Bhindranwale.

"I just wish to clarify and apologise for an instagram post yesterday. It was a WhatsApp forward that I posted in a haste and without even realising the content used and what it signified and stood for," he said in an apology note posted on Twitter.

"That was my mistake, I accept, and at no stage do I subscribe to the views in that post or support the people whose pictures were carried. I am a Sikh who will fight for India and not against India. This is my unconditional apology for hurting the sentiments of my nation. In fact, any anti-national group against my people, I do not support and never will," he added.